Buoyancy ring



Jan. 10, 1967 B. MARKWITZ 3,296,636

BUOYANCY RING Filed Nov. 18, 1964 United States Patent 3,296,636BUOYANCY RING Bernhard Markwitz, Brodersweg 9-10, Hamburg, Germany FiledNov. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 412,172 Claims priority, application Germany,Apr. 3, 1964,

47,800 4 Claims. (Cl. 9-340) The invention relates to an inflatablebuoyancy ring.

Inflatable buoyancy rings that are already known are even in anuninflated state of considerable size and therefore diflicult to handleand to transport. They are particularly unsuitable for learning to swim,since they hinder the learner too much as he carries out swimmingmovements and they inadequately safeguard him from swallowing water, amishap that causes anxiety.

Basic to the invention, therefore, is the problem of creating a buoyancyring that gives support and facilitates learning to swim but that avoidsthe disadvantages stated above and gives the swimmer a feeling of safetyin the water.

This problem is solved through having the buoyancy ring that is putaround the upper arms and/ or legs of the swimmer made of a flexibledouble-layer sheet formed into a tube out of plastic, especially PVC orpolythene, out of rubber or out of other material that is air and watertight, and equipped with an air inlet tube piece closed by a plug. Inthis arrangement the width of the flat uninflated ring, measured in thedirection of its axis, is so large in relation to its length that thesize of the air cushion resulting from the inflation of the tube issuflicient to afford a secure hold on the arm or leg the swimmer insertsthrough the ring and to provide a desired degree of buoyancy.

The ring is preferably provided with at least one flat and uninflatedsection. This particularly important supplementary feature ensures thatthe inflated ring can neither twist around the arm or leg of the swimmernor unwind or unroll from his arm or leg. The flat section is preferablylaid along the inside of the upper arm, so that the danger ofinterfering with the circulation of the blood is greatly diminished andin practice excluded.

The object of the invention is intended to be placed preferably upon aswimmers arm, particularly upon his upper arm, but also upon his lowerarm or his hand.

Further features and advantages of the invention emerge in thedescription combined with the annexed drawing.

FIG. 1 is a side view, partly in section, of the ring uninflated,

FIG. 2 is a top view of the ring uninflated, and

FIG. 3 represents a side view of an inflated ring on a smaller scale.

The ring 1 is formed from flexible sheeting 2 which is water and airtight and consists of heat sealable plastic in the example given of theembodiment.

The material from which the sheeting is manufactured may be bothdilatable and elastic, but does not require to be so. To manufacture thering 1 the flat sheeting 2 is turned over to form a ring, and the freemargins 3 are connected tightly to each other, more especially by meansof heat sealing or bonding. Thereupon one half of the ring is turnedover along the margin 10 and put over the other half, and the freemargins 11 are connected tightly to each other by sealing. Theseprocedures can also be undertaken in the reverse order. To manufacturethe buoyancy ring work can also start on the basis of a seamless tube.

Patented Jan. 10, 1967 ice As FIGS. 1 and 2 show, this tube is flat whenuninflated. It is important that the width b should be comparativelylarge in relation to the length a. In an example of an embodiment thatis preferred for childrens arms b equals mm. approximately and a equals235 mm. approximately. For the unclothed upper arms of adults thesedimensions are preferably 145 x 275 mm., for the clothed upper arms ofadults 145 x 315 mm. approximately.

The outward facing surface of sheeting 12 of the formed ring 1 has settightly into it an air inlet tube piece 4, which consists of a section 5of larger diameter and a section 6 of smaller diameter to receive a plug7. The section 5 is of such elasticity that when the ring 1 is inflatedthe air inlet tube piece 4 with the plug 7 may, as is indicated by thebroken lines in FIG. 3, be thrust down into the hollow space of the ring1, so that said air inlet tube piece does not project above theperipheral surface of the inflated ring and thus ensures that the valveis to a great extent secure from unintentional opening.

The ring 1 is, on the side lying approximately opposite to the airinlet, provided with a continuous separating sealed seam 8 stretchingthe width of the ring, so that when the ring is inflated a flat section9, devoid of air, is present. This feature is particularly important toensure an effective adhesion of the inflated ring to the arm or leg ofthe swimmer. If several such flat sections are provided, it isrecommended that alongside these sections air passage ducts should beprovided (as indicated at 13).

To utilize the rings, these are drawn while still uninflated over thearms, preferably the upper arms, and/ or the legs, preferably theankles, and then inflated. In this procedure the flat section 9 oppositethe air inlet is, for instance, so turned that the ring 1 causes nohindrance to the movements of the arm, i.e. the flat section 9 comes torest in the area of the armpit. After inflation the air inlet tube piece4 is then thrust down into the hollow space of the ring 1.

The sheeting may be dyed with a luminous colorant, which may wellenhance the value of the buoyancy rings for instructional andlife-saving purposes.

The increase in volume upon inflation results essentially in the margins10 and 11 coming closer together, and the width b consequentlydiminishes. In the uninflated state the length a is preferably 1.5 to2.5 times as great as the width b measured in the direction of the ringsaxis. If the length a is more than four times as great as the width b,unsatisfactory conditions result both as regards the degree of buoyancyattainable and as regards the clinging of the ring to the limbs.

What I claim is:

1. A buoyancy ring particularly suitable as a swimming aid comprising,in combination, an inflatable ring of tubular cross section having aninner layer and an outer layer of flexible material which define a ringwhen deflated having an axial dimension with respect to the axis of thering at least one eighth the peripheral dimension of the deflated ring,a non-inflatable portion defined on said ring having a flattenedconfiguration generally disposed parallel to the ring axis, means forintroducing a gas into the space defined between said layers, theperipheral dimension of said ring being such as to permit said ring tosnugly encompass a limb of the wearer upon inflation of the ring, andsaid non-inflatable portion being of such peripheral dimension as tounderlie the inner side of the References Cited by the Examiner312211-1221? limb to prevent interference with the movement UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2. A buoyancy ring as in claim 1 wherein the deflated1,236,365 8/1917 Rogers 9 340 axial dimension of said ring isapproximately one fifth 5 11704975 3/1929 Kennedy 9 "340 to one third ofthe peripheral length of said ring. 3,181,184 5/1965 Potts 9 340 3. Abuoyancy ring as in claim 1 wherein said non- FOREIGN PATENTS inflatableportion is formed by maintaining a portion of 219 922 2/1959 Australiasaid inner and outer layers in contiguous relation.

4. A buoyancy ring as in claim 3 wherein said non- 1O MILTON BUCHLERPrimary Emmi-net inflatable portion is formed by bonding said inner andouter layers together. ALFRED E. CORRIGAN, Examiner.

1. A BUOYANCY RING PARTICULARLY SUITABLE AS A SWIMMING AID COMPRISING,IN COMBINATION, AN INFLATABLE RING OF TUBULAR CROSS SECTION HAVING ANINNER LAYER AND AN OUTER LAYER OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL WHICH DEFINE A RINGWHEN DEFLATED HAVING AN AXIAL DIMENSION WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF THERING AT LEAST ONE EIGHTH THE PERIPHERAL DIMENSION OF THE DEFLATED RING,A NON-INFLATABLE PORTION DEFINED ON SAID RING HAVING A FLATTENEDCONFIGURATION GENERALLY DISPOSED PARALLEL TO THE RING AXIS, MEANS FORINTRODUCING A GAS INTO THE SPACE DEFINED BETWEEN SAID LAYERS, THEPERIPHERAL DIMENSION OF SAID RING BEING SUCH AS TO PERMIT SAID RING TOSNUGLY ENCOMPASS A LIMB OF THE WEARER UPON INFLATION OF THE RING, ANDSAID NON-INFLATABLE PORTION BEING OF SUCH PERIPHERAL DIMENSION AS TOUNDERLIE THE INNER SIDE OF THE WEARER''S LIMB TO PREVENT INTERFERENCEWITH THE MOVEMENT THEREOF.